Fiji Kava: What It Is, How to Prepare It, Where to Buy It
Ground kava root, the traditional way to mix it, how yaqona is served in Fiji, and what to know before your first bowl.
Kava is the drink that sits at the centre of Pacific social life — in Fiji it is yaqona, or grog, and a bowl of it is how visitors are welcomed, agreements are marked and evenings are spent. It is made from the ground root of the kava plant, mixed with cold water and strained through a cloth. This page covers what kava actually is, how to prepare it, how it is served, and what to know before you drink it.
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What Is Kava?
Kava comes from Piper methysticum, a shrub in the pepper family grown across the Pacific. It is the root that is used: dried, ground to a powder, then worked through cold water to draw out the compounds that give the drink its character. The result is an opaque, earthy-brown liquid with a peppery taste that can briefly numb the tongue.
It is drunk socially and ceremonially rather than casually — the bowl is shared, and in Fiji the yaqona ceremony is a formal act of welcome. The same plant is central to life in Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and Hawai'i, each with their own preparation and custom around it. Kava contains no alcohol.
How to Prepare Kava
Kava is prepared with cold or room-temperature water; hot water is not used in the traditional method. All you need is a fine strainer bag and a large bowl. It takes about fifteen minutes.
Measure the powder.
A common starting point is two to three tablespoons of ground kava per cup of water. Put the powder into a fine strainer bag.
Soak it.
Sit the filled bag in a large bowl of cool or room-temperature water. Cold water is traditional; hot water is not used.
Knead and squeeze.
Knead, twist and squeeze the bag under the water for about ten minutes. The water turns an opaque muddy brown as the root's compounds are worked out into it.
Wring it out.
Wring the bag firmly to get the last of the liquid out, then lift it clear. What is left in the bowl is the drink; the spent powder in the bag is discarded.
Serve.
Serve in a cup or a bilo — a half coconut shell. Kava separates as it sits, so stir or swirl it before each serve.
As a rough guide, a 100g pack is commonly prepared with roughly one to one and a half litres of water, depending on how concentrated you want the mix. Start with more water and adjust the ratio on the next batch.
How Kava Is Served in Fiji
Around a formal bowl there is a rhythm to it, and it is worth knowing if you are handed a bilo — the half coconut shell kava is served in:
Cobo — clap once
Before you are handed the bilo, a single cupped clap acknowledges the person serving.
Bula
Say "bula" as you take the cup. It is the greeting that goes with the bowl.
Drink it in one
The bilo is emptied in one go rather than sipped, then handed back.
Cobo — clap three times
Three cupped claps afterwards close the round, and the bilo passes to the next person.
Custom varies between islands, villages and families, and plenty of kava is drunk informally with none of this. If you are a guest, follow your host.
Before You Drink It
Worth knowing first:
- Kava can numb the tongue and lips slightly for a short time after drinking; this is a characteristic of the drink.
- Do not drink kava with alcohol, and do not drive or operate machinery after drinking it.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking any medication, or have a liver condition, talk to your doctor before drinking kava.
- Start with a small amount the first time.
- Kava is a traditional beverage, not a medicine. Nothing on this page is medical advice.
How to Store Kava
- Keep the powder sealed in an airtight container, somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight.
- Keep it dry — moisture can spoil ground root.
- Prepared kava does not keep well at room temperature. Refrigerate what you do not drink and finish it within a day or two.
- Check the packaging for any best-before date and storage instructions from the supplier.
Delivery and Coverage
The store dispatches the next business day and courier delivery typically takes 1–3 business days.
Delivery is $7 as a base fee, with free delivery on orders above $69, and there is no minimum order value. DoorToShop currently delivers within the Auckland region — enter your postcode at checkout to confirm coverage for your address, or read how DoorToShop works.
Frequently Asked Questions: Fiji Kava
Where can I buy Fiji kava online?
You can browse kava from local merchants on DoorToShop. It is currently listed by Green Gold Trading Limited as FIJI KAVA 100 GM, and orders are couriered to your delivery address.
What is kava?
Kava is a drink made from the ground root of the kava plant, Piper methysticum, mixed with cold water and strained. It is central to social and ceremonial life across the Pacific, and in Fiji it is known as yaqona or grog.
How do you prepare kava?
Put two to three tablespoons of ground kava per cup of water into a fine strainer bag, sit it in a bowl of cool water, then knead and squeeze the bag for about ten minutes until the water turns opaque brown. Wring the bag out, discard the spent powder and serve the liquid. In the traditional method, kava is prepared with cold or room-temperature water rather than hot water.
How much water do I use for 100g of kava?
As a rough guide, 100g of ground kava is commonly prepared with roughly one to one and a half litres of water, depending on how concentrated you want the mix. Start with more water and adjust the ratio on the next batch.
What does kava taste like?
Earthy and peppery, with a muddy texture. It can numb the tongue and lips slightly for a short time after drinking, which is a characteristic of the drink.
How is kava served in Fiji?
Customarily it is served from a shared bowl into a bilo, a half coconut shell. The person receiving it claps once, says "bula", drinks the bowl in one go, and claps three times as it is passed on.
Is kava alcoholic?
No. Kava contains no alcohol. It should not be mixed with alcohol, and you should not drive or operate machinery after drinking it.
Who should avoid kava?
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking any medication, or have a liver condition, talk to your doctor before drinking kava. Kava is a traditional beverage rather than a medicine, and this page is not medical advice.
How should I store kava powder?
Keep the powder sealed in an airtight container somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight. Prepared kava should be refrigerated and drunk within a day or two.
How fast is delivery on a kava order, and where do you deliver?
Orders are dispatched by the merchant the next business day and typically arrive within 1 to 3 business days by courier. DoorToShop currently delivers within the Auckland region — enter your postcode at checkout to confirm coverage for your address.
How much does delivery cost on a kava order?
The base delivery fee is $7 NZD, with free delivery on orders above $69 — the exact amount is confirmed at checkout. There is no minimum order value.
Can I order kava with other groceries?
Yes. DoorToShop is a multi-merchant marketplace, so you can add kava to the same cart as other grocery products available from participating merchants and check out once.